Caring for a teenager

Fostering teenagers involves quite different sorts of work than that with young children, simply because they are older – teenagers are more firmly established in their ways of behaving and are consequently less adaptable than young children. Also, they are approaching adulthood, a time in their lives when they are likely to be expected to live more or less independently.

One of the aims of fostering teenagers is to help them to move towards becoming independent adults. Too many of those who pass through the care system flounder when confronted with everyday tasks – they may not have seen anyone changing a fuse or paying the gas bill! Teenagers need to gain experience of the practicalities of life – budgeting, shopping, cooking and cleaning, education and employment issues.

Caring for teenagers can be very challenging. They will often test out their boundaries and see how far they can push things. If you foster a teenager you can be sure that life at home will not continue in the same way. You will certainly face a challenge, you will probably find that things become more hectic, noisier and on occasions fun! It is inevitable that occasionally you will find the work frustrating, you may even wonder why you bother. But then as you see a young person start to make their own way in the world, gradually overcoming difficult problems you will find a special satisfaction in helping them.

Many young people have found that foster carers have given them the stable base they needed to be able to cope with life after they had technically ‘left’ care. For some young people leaving your home won’t mean goodbye, you may continue to provide support perhaps with a meal or a loan, baby-sitting or simply by being there for them, helping them to learn from their mistakes as well as share their successes.